Are You Looking to Outsource Your Marketing & PR?

I have recently been asked by different levels of executives, VPs to CEOs, from start-ups, small and mid size companies, about the pros of outsourcing their marketing and PR needs and what to look for when choosing a firm to work with.

I am sure the current financial turbulence has caused this question to resurface with intensity and be taken into careful consideration. But it is a questions that we get asked quite often.

As it happens, I subscribe to Laura Lake’s newsletter at About.com: Marketing and just this week she wrote about this very subject!

I could not have summed it up better. Read the full article, or here are some quick pointers on what outsourcing allows companies to gain:

– More focus on your core business
– No marketing ramp-up time and training
– Immediate service
– Fast program deployment
– More cost effective than employing full-time staff
– Draw on proven expertise and experience
– Get an external, unbiased perspective
– Expand and contract your marketing on an “as-needed” basis
– Exploit strong media relationships across industry publications

What to look for and how to choose an outsourcing marketing and PR firm?

– Look at their area of expertise
– Make sure they understand your needs, goals and objectives
– Check if they are updated in the latest trends and technology
– Ask for case studies and success stories with measurement and ROI
– Get client references
– Make sure they “get” your technology, products and market space

Last, but certainly not least: Make sure there is a synergy between you and the team you will be working with. Understand who will be heading the team and who are the team members. This is important as they become an “extension” of your company or marketing/PR department, with weekly if not daily calls, communication and interaction. You must feel comfortable with the relationship. This is the key to success and free flow of information.

Outsourcing certainly makes sense for some companies, but not for others. Do the research to find out if this is a viable option for you and your company. Speak to several companies to compare services to help you make a decision.
If you have any questions, shoot me an email or a comment.

WRITTEN BY

Yasmin Ben-Dror

Yasmin has more than 15+ years marketing experience for international technology companies. Her expertise in marketing program development and execution started in traditional mediums and has evolved into various online marketing tactics such at online advertising, email campaigns, search engine marketing, search engine optimization, webinars, blogs, and social media. Yasmin was born and raised in South Africa, lived in Israel and Seattle, and finally relocated to the Garden State eight years ago. She has worked in many diverse environments. She loves going on Safari in South Africa, gourmet cooking, skiing, biking and doing pretty much anything with her four-year old daughter and husband. Drop her a line at yasmin@affectstrategies.com

Hey Wendy, thanks for reading and for your comments. I see from your website that we offer very similar services, but in different geo regions – our focus is US market. So I’m sure you understand this dilemma. To Outsource Or Not To Outsource! This is a very real question for many companies in today’s economic climate. It certainly does depend on the requirements of their business, and what they are trying to achieve both in the short and long term.